Here’s a cheerful way to brighten up a hedge after the May flowers have gone and the berries yet to arrive. Giant sunflowers are fun for kids who are encouraged to compete to see who can grow the tallest. Pssst … it’s all to do with growing upwards to get the light and you can get mammoth varieties such as the 12-foot Skyscraper or the Mongolian Giant, up to 14 ft. Ours were simply from a pack of Suttons seeds and have reached eight foot with the flowers a foot across.

No wonder children love them, especially when they turn their heads to face the sun. We keep the heads intact and place them on a plant table so the birds can help themselves.